We Have a Live In Nanny, and He Rocks!

We have a live-in nanny and he rocks. His name is David and he has been living with us for almost a year. David was a family friend before he moved in. He never intended to be our manny, (live in nanny, who happens to be a man), but the situation worked out well for him and for us, so here we are.

How Our Live-In Nanny Came To Be

When Brad and David met, they immediately became fast friends. David would come over and visit, and he was always great with the kids. He played with them, fed them, and even changed diapers without being asked! As a mother of four, I can tell you that a single guy changing a diaper without being asked (or forced)… well that move speaks volumes about the type of man David is.

In 2014 we took a month-long trip to Belize with the kids, and with David. At first, we were going to go as a family but Brad and I started to think about the long trip and the sights we planned on seeing. We came to the conclusion that inviting David to help with the kids, in exchange for an almost free trip to Belize, would be ideal.

During our trip, we were able to see how David and our kids interacted. We survived six weeks together on the road, traveling through Mexico and Belize, climbing pyramids, swimming in rivers, and then promptly getting diarrhea for two weeks afterward. Despite the sickness, the unbearable heat, and our truck breaking down twice, I think we got along fabulously. Six months later we decided to move to another city in Mexico to help a Bible group become a congregation. We invited David to move with us.

What Does a Live-In Nanny Do?

In exchange for room and board, David helps us tremendously around the house and on any trips we take together. Last August he came with us to Puerto Vallarta for a week. Brad’s mom loves David and she wanted him to be a part of our family vacation. David helps with our children, primarily Sawyer and Tristan, as Alexis and Taylor are past the nanny stage. He helps prepare meals, clean the house, do laundry, and almost anything we ask of him.

David does babysit but only occasionally. Brad and I have date night once a month and he watches the boys for several hours. Our girls go visit family friends for the evening. We pay David to babysit the boys since he helps us in so many other ways. For example, last week our fuel pump went out on our truck. David was a mechanic in the US and whenever our vehicle needs maintenance he is always there to help Brad fix it.

Sometimes I pay David to do extra things around the house, like cut the grass or wash my living room rug. Being bilingual he tutors students in English several hours a week and does side jobs for some of the local mechanic shops. This extra income helps him maintain his Jeep and gives him some spending money.

David is not a traditional live-in nanny. Like I mentioned, he is our friend. During the past two years, he has become a part of our family. We try not to abuse that friendship by asking too much of him or assuming he can and will do whatever we need. Fortunately, he has his own room and bath, so he can go into hiding whenever he needs alone time.

We Know The Pros, Tell Us The Cons

No one is perfect and having someone live with you is not always easy. I can’t walk around in my underwear like I did every single day prior to our live-in nanny, and I miss that! It’s not easy for David either when he is trying to sleep and the boys are wide awake at three in the morning. He can hear them through his bedroom walls since his room is right beside their room.

David catches every sickness we do. This weekend we are all stuck at home with the flu. It started with Sawyer and now the rest of us have it. Including poor David. Another concern is family affairs. If Brad and I are having a disagreement David usually knows about it. It’s not his fault. As loud and vocal as we are, everyone in the house knows that something is wrong. I never pretend to be perfect but I don’t like when others hear us quarrel.

Our arrangement won’t last forever. Like I mentioned the girls are too big for a nanny. They help a lot with housework, even babysitting the boys when mommy is sick in bed due to a migraine or a Mexican bug. Our next home may not have enough room for another person unless it has separate mother-in-law quarters and those can be hard to find. By that time David may even be sick of us and be ready to move on to his next adventure.

Am I spoiled in Mexico? Definitely! My husband is a stay-at-home-dad. I have David’s help with the kids and with household chores. And I have Maria who cleans our house once a week. We could not afford any of this if we were still living in the US. I will enjoy it while I can. Raising kids is a tough job and it’s been nice to have the extra support.

This is my story. If anyone else is fortunate enough to have a nanny or any other type of help around the house? If so tell me about it below. Signing off, Tina

UPDATE: Since I wrote this David has moved on! The girls are old enough now to help out with their little brothers. No, we don’t use them. They get a good allowance, are learning responsibility, and are contributing to the care of our large family. David is doing well and helping his family in Morelia. We are still friends and we stay in touch. We will always appreciate the year he lived with us and helped us care for our precious children!

Originally published January 17, 2016

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A ridiculous amount of coffee was consumed in the process of creating this project. Add some fuel if you'd like to keep me going ;-) Gracias!

Tina Marie Ernspiker

I live in Mexico with my hubby and four kiddos. I keep busy with homeschooling, traveling, and my Bible ministry. I love photography and writing, so I blog. My family is a little nutty but nutty is never boring and always an adventure. And I love adventure!

I just replied then accidently deleted it :-( Thank you Charlotta. We are getting better. Thank goodness! BTW Charlotta is not a mind-reader ;-) She follows me on Instagram. That is how she knew of our illness! Just another Mexican bug! And for me a UTI… blah…

Hello from Blogging Mentorship! What an interesting concept having a male nanny. Actually, you whole life looks like an interesting journey full of adventure! We visited Belize in November and could totally see staying a month there. Glad you have extra hands to help you.

Hello Leilani! Different, right? I never would have thought it would work out like this. Our family really loves David and all the help he provides. Belize is awesome! Just don’t go in April… hottest time of year!

I love this! I’m about to start a nanny series on my blog (including welcoming guest posts!). We have a live-in nanny too (not a manny though) and that has been a tremendous burden off me since hubby is away a lot for army stuff (like right now).

My sister lives with me (rents out my basement), and she is a great help when I work mornings at home. Of course, I also watch her daughter a lot of times too. I pick her daughter up after school while my sister sleeps (she works night shift at the hospital), and help with homework. So in a sense, we help each other. My husband is the biggest help of all, though. I know a lot of women complain about their useless husbands, but mine is a totally hands-on dad who will do anything for his kids. Plus, after working 2 jobs, he still comes home and does household chores. I am lucky I have a great family.

I think it is great when friends and family can work together and support one another. You know the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child.” It definitely has some meaning behind it. I am sure your sister appreciates you greatly, and that is wonderful that your hubby is such a big help. Mine too! Love that man!